MANILA - The Philippine presidential palace Malacanang is leaving the resolution of the abduction of a Surigao del Sur mayor to the local crisis committee mandated to deal with the problem, a spokesperson said on Saturday.

"Governor (Johnny) Pimentel of Surigao has already convened the provincial crisis committee so we will be looking to them for more details...We have to trust in the competence of the provincial and local crisis committees," Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview with state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

Reports said that Mayor Henry Dano of Lingig, Surigao del Sur was abducted on Saturday morning by suspected rebels.

Before the elections last year, Dano's predecessor, then Lingig Mayor Roberto Luna Jr, and four of his escorts were abducted by members of the New People's Army, but were released after 17 days in captivity.

Valte said that based on reports from the Armed Forces, the latter has sent a team to the area to investigate the incident and has "established checkpoints in the boundaries and are trying to get more information."

"But as of the moment, we are monitoring this and our forces are already coordinating," she said.

Earlier, Maj. Eugeinio Julio Osias, spokesman of the Army's 4th Infantry Division, said a government soldier died while six others were injured in an ambush staged on Saturday morning by New People's Army rebels that earlier abducted Dano.

The troops were aboard military vehicles when they were waylaid by the blocking force of the main NPA group that snatched Lingig town mayor Dano, he said.

Osias said 4th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Victor Felix has ordered a relentless operation against the rebels, who are also blamed for a number of atrocities in their area for the past months.

"According to general Felix, this has to stop, the atrocities conducted by the NPA in our AOR should stop," Osias said. "We are conducting a relentless operation, there will be no let up in our operation in coordination with the police," he said.

Osias said they are also trying to verify a police report that states that two of Dano's bodyguards were also abducted.  Nevertheless, he said that based on their information, Dano was the only one seized by the insurgents.

The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, was formed on March 29, 1969. Latest Philippine military estimates placed the NPA's strength at more than 4,000.